May/June 2012

In this issue of Briarpatch Fathima Cader looks at the Conservative government’s efforts to enlist public support for the booming business of deportation. First-time Briarpatch contributor Mike Krebs explains what’s behind Canada’s unconditional support for Israel, and its role as an architect of apartheid. Plus, the long-awaiting creative writing contest winners!

The house had a makeshift feeling she should have grown out of a long time ago, her scattered belongings littering the floor like residue. She liked to feel as though she could leave at any moment just by throwing a few things into a bag.

Our northern communities are rich because they know their languages. They are rich because they have strong connections to their land. They are rich because at least some of their lands exist in a natural state.

The Silence of Our Friends asks important questions. How are racist attitudes internalized or rejected by children? What does it take to earn the trust of others across boundary lines marked by race privilege? And, how can we make progress in the struggle against oppression?